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Tag: FCTA

  • FCTA workers reject posting of Perm Sec by Head of Service

    FCTA workers reject posting of Perm Sec by Head of Service

    The workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), on Monday, January 15, protested the deployment of a Permanent Secretary (PS) for the FCTA by the Head of Service of the Federation.

    The protesting workers also called for the full implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC) Law, 2018, which provided for the appointment of PS from the FCTA.

    The Office of the Head of Service of the Federation announced President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the posting of 24 Permanent Secretaries in Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA).

    Among the affected PSs is Dr Magdalene Ajani, who was redeployed from the Transportation Ministry to the FCTA to replace the current PS, Olusade Adesola, who would retire on Jan. 29.

    JUAC president, Matilukuro Korede, who spoke on behalf of the workers in Abuja on Monday, challenged the deployment, which he described as an aberration of the FCT CSC Law.

    Korede recalls that the Federal Executive Council had in October 2023, approved the implementation of the law establishing a CSC for FCT.

    The president said by this development, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, did not have the power to appoint a Permanent Secretary for the FCT.

    The Nation recalls that the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike had in October 2023, announced President Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of CSC for the FCT.

    Wike had explained that the development would allow career progression for civil servants in the FCT Administration to become permanent secretaries, who before now could only get to the position of a director.

    He explained that the directors could not get to the peak of their careers because there was no CSC for FCT.

    JUAC president, therefore, described the action of the Head of Service as faulty and called for the full implementation of the FCT CSC Law.

    He said: “On Thursday, we heard that the head of the service has announced that she has gotten approval from President Tinubu to deploy another Permanent Secretary to FCT.

    “We felt aggrieved because it is an aberration. As we speak now, the FCT CSC Law has been gazetted since 2018.”

    He said that since 2004, the staff of FCTA had been deprived of becoming permanent secretaries, adding that the law to make it possible was signed in 2018 but implementation became a problem.

    He said that Wike took the issue and within a month, secured President Tinubu’s approval for the implementation of the law.

    “But to our surprise, the Head of Service decided to include a name for appointment as permanent secretary for the FCT.

    “As far as FCT is concerned, the permanent secretary should be appointed among the qualified directors in the FCTA and not from outside.

    “This will provide an opportunity for the staff of FCTA to get to the peak of their career by becoming a permanent secretary.

    “Our demand, therefore, is that the appointment of a permanent secretary outside the FCTA is an aberration and an anomaly that should be corrected.

    Read Also: FCTA demolishes shops, eateries, illegal structures in Abuja

    “We are waiting for the implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission,” he said.

    He added that if the Head of Service insists on appointing a permanent secretary from outside the FCTA, then she has to wait for the law to be amended and be given the power to do so.

    “But between now and then, the law must be obeyed and what we know is that FCT CSC has come to stay.”

    Korede equally announced to the protesting workers that Wike had reached out to the leadership of JUAC and asked them to be calm.

    He said that the minister promised to meet with President Tinubu over the issue and would get back to them.

    He, therefore, asked the workers to shield the sword and return to work, while awaiting feedback from the minister, which would determine the next line of action.

  • FCTA demolishes shops, eateries, illegal structures in Abuja

    FCTA demolishes shops, eateries, illegal structures in Abuja

    The Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS), Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Friday demolished shops, eateries, and other illegal structures in taxi ranks across the nation’s capital.

    The administration demolished Area 3 and Banex Junction Taxi Ranks, in Abuja.

    In Area 3 Taxi Rank, the DTRS team, supported by security agencies, demolished a car wash, mechanic workshop, cinema house, and eateries among others, operating illegally.

    At Banex Junction Taxi Rank, the taxis were not using the ranks because they had been taken over by miscreants, who were using the space to sell hard drugs and adulterated fuel and diesel.

    Mrs. Deborah Osho, Head of Operations, DRTS, who led the team, explained that the measure was to give room for more taxis to operate within the ranks.

    This, according to her, will discourage illegal taxi parks across the city that sprang up on grounds that there was not enough space in the taxi ranks.

    She added that the move would also address the menace of “one chance” operators, who took advantage of the illegal parks to perpetuate their evil deeds.

    Osho explained that the decision to demolish and clear the taxi ranks of all illegal structures was reached after a meeting with transport stakeholders on the need for a cleaner and serene environment in FCT.

    “On Monday, the DRTS invited all the stakeholders in the transportation sector for a meeting, and one of the resolutions was to clear the tax ranks for taxis to operate inside the ranks.

    “We have equally handed over a space around Eagle Square for taxi operators to use as temporary taxi rank, to stop the menace of illegal parks around the Federal Secretariat.

    “We are prepared to clean all taxi ranks in 2024, to ensure that motorists board taxis inside the taxi ranks and not outside.

    Read Also: FCTA to unveil unified transportation system in Abuja  

    “This in the long run, will address the menace of “one chance” in the city,” she said.

    Also speaking, Dr. Peter Olumuji, Secretary, Command and Control Centre, Department of Security Service, FCTA, said: “One chance happens when people do not have a secured taxi rank to board vehicles.

    “We have gone round with DRTS officials; we noticed that most of the taxi ranks were occupied by people that were not meant to be there, and not given room to taxi owners to use the space.

    “But as we clear these illegal structures, more vehicles will be coming into the ranks, so that commuters will be able to board safe and secured taxis to their various destinations.”

    To sustain the clean taxi ranks operations, Olumuji said there was a need for more personnel of DRTS and vehicular assets to move to every nuke and crannies of the city.

    Commenting on the development, Richard Siso, Deputy Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, described the development as the best for transport operators so far.

    Oladipupo Ebijuni, Chairman and Director Enforcement, Painted Abuja Taxi said, “We are very happy with what is happening here. I want to assure DRTS of our full support.”

  • Unified transportation system coming in Abuja – FCTA

    Unified transportation system coming in Abuja – FCTA

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed plans to unveil the Unified Standard Transportation System in the nation’s capital.

    This was disclosed by the Director of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Dr. Abdulateef Bello on Monday during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting.

    Bello who stated that the recovery of taxi ranks earlier issued quit notice within the capital city would soon commence, to reorganise it for licensed operators.

    He revealed that the need to standardise the transportation system in Abuja had become very necessary, considering that the city was fast evolving and no aspect of it should be ignored.

    Bello said Abuja cannot be left without an organised transportation system that will meet the needs of all citizens.

    Read Also: FCTA receives N50b for capital projects

    He equally revealed that the administration has perfected plans with consultants to bring in buses that use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), to solve the problems of mass transit in Abuja.

    According to him, the buses when acquired and deployed to different routes, will take care of the rickety vehicles and taxis that have been constituting nuisances on Abuja roads.

    One of the stakeholders, Dr Abubakar Sadiq, the Chairman, of RTEIN Mass Transit, said the new policy by the administration was a welcome development, but critical players in the transportation sector must be given adequate consideration.

    Also, Okorie Victor, the Chairman of the Self Employed Commercial Drivers Association (SECDAN) urged the administration to embark on aggressive sensitisation to ensure that all stakeholders properly understand the evolving policies of the administration in the transportation sector.

  • FCTA receives N50b for capital projects

    FCTA receives N50b for capital projects

    • Wike orders payment to contractors

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike yesterday disclosed that the FCTA administration has received N50 billion out of the N100 billion Supplementary Budget for capital projects’ execution.

    Wike said the Ministry of Finance approved the disbursement of the 50 per cent of the 2023 supplementary budget for implementation.

    The minister made this known while addressing reports after completing an inspection tour of three ongoing projects in the FCT including the Outer Southern Expressway, beginning from AA Rano behind the Villa through Deeper Life Junction, SARS, Apo Roundabout to Wassa, under construction by Messrs CGC Construction Limited; and the Northern N20 Expressway in Jahi District beginning from AA Rano and stretching to Zuba; being constructed by Gilmore Construction, as well as the residence of the Vice President.

    Wike said he has already given approval for the disbursement of the available for funds for contarctor to meet up with the deadline given.

    Read Also; Nollywood veteran Olofa Ina dies 

    He said: “The supplementary budget as approved by the National Assembly is N100 billion and 50 per cent of the amount has been released which is N50 billion.

    “This afternoon when I went to the office, I have directed the permanent secretary that immediate payment should be made to the companies carrying out project in FCT

    Recall that the Minister had stated that the projects were intended to mark the first year in office of President Bola Tinubu, while giving the contractors a deadline of May 24, 2024.

    Wike said the approval and subsequent disbursement of the fund gave hope that none of the ongoing projects will be left uncompleted while reiterating that the projects will be used to commemorate the first year in office of President Tinubu.

    The minister said: “I am happy to announce to you that the Ministry of Finance has released fifty per cent of the National Supplementary Budget, and that in a way has given us that hope that the contractors would be paid anytime from now. We have also gotten assent to the statutory budget which again has given us hope that no project will be left uncompleted as promised. We have visited three projects today; one being carried out by CGC, one by Julius Berger, and the N20 Carriage being constructed by Gilmor.”

    He also commended the quality of the various projects, while assuring residents of the FCT that all promises made towards the completion of the projects would be fulfilled.

    Wike said: “I am sure residents of Abuja have seen the difference that no promise made would not be fulfilled. All promises made will be fulfilled. And we also want to commend the residents of Abuja for the support they are giving to us. We are happy with what we have seen, and we will continue to do it for the satisfaction of the residents of Abuja and assure them that the Renewed Hope Agenda was not a mere talk. So, it is a promise and a promise kept”.

    Reacting to comments that some of the projects embarked on by the Minister are not directly beneficial or impactful to the people, Wike said: “I don’t know how anybody will say road projects are not impactful. First, it creates jobs; two, it makes the economy to thrive. What can be more impactful than road construction? All projects that we are doing are impactful projects”.

  • Pandemonium as hoodlums attack government agency in Abuja

    Pandemonium as hoodlums attack government agency in Abuja

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Joint Task Force on City Sanitation arrested 19 hoodlums for attacking the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) in Wuse, Abuja on Monday, December 18.

    The hoodlums stormed the premises in the early hours of Monday over the demolition of a Mechanic Village in Kubwa, by the officials of the AMMC Department of Development Control.

    The Director of the department, Mukhtar Galadima told reporters after the incidents that the workers in the building were going about their official assignments when the hoodlums besieged the premises.

    Galadima said that 19 of the protesters were arrested for the violent disruption of peace in the area. 

    He said: “We were having a meeting in a conference hall when we heard some noises. We decided to come and see what was happening and I saw some people with protest placards.

    “Some of the people were talking about Kubwa Mechanic Village where they owned shops in the village but were demolished by Development Control.  But what proof do they have that they have allocations inside the area.”

    Read Also: Wike commences clampdown on illegal motor parks in Abuja

    Galadima said that the sponsors of the protest built what they called a mechanic village inside someone’s property, adding that Development Control ordered the demolition of the village.

    He added that beyond building on the illegal property, the action became necessary following a series of complaints of encroachment in the particular space by the rightful owners.

    The director, who described the protest as: “simply thuggery”, added that the department would recommend the prosecution of the culprit.

    He said: “This is a breach of peace, and they should be prosecuted. We are also going to find out who among our officers gave out the area for the development of a mechanic village. The officers involved must be dealt with accordingly.”

    Also speaking, the Secretary of FCTA’s Command and Control, Dr Peter Olumuji, said that the task force was out on enforcement duty when the distress call came in from development control over the protest.

    He added: “We abandoned what we were doing and dashed to the scene immediately and on getting here, we saw the protesters attempting to vandalise the premises, vehicles, and assault development control officers.

    “We have been able to arrest 19 of them and will be taken to Utako Police Division for proper investigation and possible prosecution.”

  • FCTA sensitizes 310 students on maltreatment, sexual harassment

    FCTA sensitizes 310 students on maltreatment, sexual harassment

    Over 310 students drawn from the 62 wards of the six Area Councils have been sensitized on the need to Speak- out when they are maltreated or harassed sexually.

    Mandate Secretary For Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Women Affairs Secretariat, Adedayo Benjamin-Laniyi gave the advice at the weekend when she led students and others in Abuja to campaign against Gender Based Violence (GBV).

    She explained that the event was an advocacy initiative of the FCTA to commemorate the 16days activism against GBV, to create an awareness that such an act will not be tolerated in the nation’s capital.

    She said Wike is currently championing ‘ FCT Day Of The Adolescent Girl child’ in the territory, towards creating safe space for them.

    Read Also: FCTA commits $4.5m World Bank grants to FADAMA Programme

    According to her: “This will become a national event by next year. But it is starting here, Abuja, with Wike as the Super champion of He for She for adolescent girls in the FCT”.

    While calling on GBV Victims to use the phone number 080 78 11 11 26, Mrs. Benjamin-Laniyi appealed to parents, community leaders who prevent their wards or subjects from speaking out because of stigma, to rescind from such acts to enable the Government nip the menace of GBV in the bud.

    She said: “In FCT, to orange our world, means to orange the hope of the adolescent girl child.It is to teach our young girls to speak up and not to allow anyone to intimidate them…Please call, speak- out, report, do not hold back, there is help. We at FCTA Women Affairs Secretariat have Mr Project backing to bring renewed hope to the people.

  • FCTA commits $4.5m World Bank grants to FADAMA Programme

    FCTA commits $4.5m World Bank grants to FADAMA Programme

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has allocated the sum of $4.5 million to the FCT Fadama CARES programme to implement three disbursement linked Indicators (DLIs) out of a total allocation of $15 million made available to the FCTA by the World Bank for implementation of the FCT CARES programme.

    The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, said this during the kick off of disbursement of grant to third batch of FCT FADAMA CARES beneficiaries for year 2023/2024 Dry Season production held at FADAMA office, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

    Read Also: FCTA uncovers illegal oil refining warehouse in Abuja

    Specifically, the FCT Administration and World Bank has set a target for the FCT Fadama CARES programme to provide grants support to 12,283 individual farmers as well as upgrade 17 Wet Markets across the Federal Capital Territory.

    The minister noted that the event was another significant indicator of the unflinching determination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment towards the actualization of his Administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” which was designed with the specific purpose of revitalizing and deepening the nation’s economy through deliberate far reaching interventions in key sectors.

  • FCTA uncovers illegal oil refining warehouse in Abuja

    FCTA uncovers illegal oil refining warehouse in Abuja

    Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and operatives of security personnel on Thursday, November 30, uncovered an illegal oil refining warehouse in Mabushi, opposite the Mobile filling station on Ahmadu Bello way in Abuja.

    The Director of the Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mukhtar Galadima, after the operation said the illegal refining site was discovered during the continuation of the city cleaning exercise.

    According to him, about three to four plots of land designated for commercial purposes have been converted to an area where oil and diesel are being adulterated and circulated to other parts of the city.

    Galadima explained that the city sanitation task force will look into the provision of the law and make necessary recommendations to the FCT Administration for further actions on the plots used for the activity.

    Though there was no arrest, the items used in carrying out the illegal refining have been impounded.

    Read Also: FCTA pulls down vehicle papers forgery hub in Abuja

    Galadima said: “During the continuation of our city sanitation exercise in Mabushi opposite the Mobile filling station on Ahmadu way, we discovered an illegal refining site where oil and diesel are being adulterated, we have done the needful by moving the items to Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

    “From what we have seen so far, about three or four plots of lands designated for commercial purposes have been converted to unapproved activities, which we believe the owners are fully aware, there will be consequences.

    “We are going to look at the provision of the law and make necessary recommendations to the FCT Administration.”

    He said the administration will continue to go tough on activities being carried out without government approval, especially revocation of the titles.

  • FCTA pulls down vehicle papers forgery hub in Abuja

    FCTA pulls down vehicle papers forgery hub in Abuja

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished a mini market, believed to be notorious for vehicle papers and other documents forgery. 

    The mini market located directly opposite the headquarters of FCTA Directorate of Road Traffic Services in Mabushi, is said to have been infiltrated by fraudulent merchants whose stock in trade is to collaborate with some government staff to produce fake vehicle papers and number plates. 

    Speaking on the exercise, the Director DRTS, Dr. Abdulatef Bello said that several intelligent reports has exposed the illegal activities being perpetrated in the place. 

    Bello, who displayed some vehicles papers and number plates, said to have been impounded from some of the arrested suspects,  noted that some criminal elements had infiltrated the place and indulging in forgery.

    He lamented that apart from losses of revenue, due to the illegal activities of the place, the safety of motorists and other residents have been threatened. 

    He warned bothering motorists and people who patronise quacks fir vehicle registration to desist from it, and resort to the seamless registration platform,  backed with technology which government has provided. 

    Read Also: Insecurity: FCTA to convert unused land to recreation centres

    Bello said: “we have observed over a long period of time, this particular building harbours illegitimate activities such as pirates, pirate some of our documents and then perpetuate criminal activities. 

    “We have been making efforts over a period of time to see how we can bust their activities, but today faith caught off with them and the building or structure here are brought down, and they were able to uncovered so many of our documents that have been pirated by the criminals. 

    “And then the most important thing is that it is not just about revenue loss but you know it also about something that has to do with security as well because as we are trying to go into e- enforcement, some of these vehicles that are registered with fake documents would be very difficult for us to track them, because the camera will pick them but because they are not registered, it will be difficult for us to track, and these are the kind of vehicles they use for criminal activities in territory “.

    Barrister Alexandre Owobi, who claimed to be the manager of the open space property where the business centres operated, said that the most worrisome part of the demolition was that, the development control department did not give the occupants adequate notice. 

    Owobi stated that he was not aware that criminal elements have invaded the place, noting that no security agency has ever given him such reports. 

  • Insecurity: FCTA to convert unused land to recreation centres

    Insecurity: FCTA to convert unused land to recreation centres

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken steps to reclaim spaces not allocated to people and occupied by hoodlums and other criminal elements threatening the peace of residents of the territory.

    The FCTA Department of Development Control on Monday, November 27, said the administration will recover and convert some of the open spaces to Parks and Recreation Centers to curb the rate of crimes being perpetuated in the neighbourhoods.

    Director Development Control Department, TPL Mukhtar Galadima, told reporters after a clean up exercise in Katampe extension, said that similar measures will be replicated in other areas where the administration recently moved into demolished shanties.

    Galadima, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement of the department, Hassan Ogbole, lamented that the hoodlums constantly returned to the area despite being cleared severally.

    He said,: “We have done this in several locations and we are here in Katampe extension. This is a high tension line where any kind of activity is not supposed to be going on around it but unfortunately, this is the fourth time the task team will be here. Whenever we remove them, they come back. We know they are being exploited by people within themselves and outside, but we are investigating thoroughly to bring those involved to law.

    “We will keep doing this. We can’t leave an ungoverned space and that’s why we are working on governance now. We are working in partnership with the residence association of Katampe Extension as well as the Parks and Recreation Department. Sooner or later we will get them to take proper occupation of this place so that these people will not come back. Before then we will keep coming here to make sure they don’t come back.”

    The Assistant Director in charge of Maintenance, Parks and Recreation Department, Isa Abdulmalik, disclosed that the measure will be replicated in ungoverned spaces in Kabusa, Gaduwa, Guzape, Apo Dutse, and others.

    He said: “We are going to fence this place, put a recreational facility which will be between us and the residents here to serve as a neighborhood park, so that the people here can make use of the facility.

    “With this, I think we will curb most of the illegal activities and the taking over of this place by hoodlums in the past. So I believe when we do that the neighborhood and the people around will enjoy the facility. There are so many other places within this city so far that we have recovered and created parks there. Some of these areas are Kabusa, Gaduwa, Guzape, Apo Dutse, and others.”

    Earlier, the Secretary of FCTA Command and Control Centre, Dr. Peter Olumuji, had explained that residents of Katampe extension had complained of security threats due to the influx of criminal elements in the area.

    Olumuji said: “We’ve seen incidents of people coming here to sell drugs and the rest and a lot of other vices that go on around here.

    “But, now that we’ve come around here for clearance operation, our own is just to ensure that this place is clear of these places that they can hibernate in perpetrating their dangerous activities to human habitation within this environment.”

    In a related development, the FCTA through the Abuja Investment Company Limited, AICL, has commenced the beautification and reorganisation of the demolished sites of the city’s informal activities.

    To this end, the Galadima’s led-joint city management task team that have been working with relevant security agencies such as the Nigerian police, NSCDC, the NDLEA, the DSS, the Immigration Service, the correctional service, and fire service visited new facility at Area 1 Shopping Centre built for sellers of Kilishi.